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Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted

2.6M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

46.4%

40%55%
Floor46.4%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.

Measured over 2.6M games at this level and clock.

Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level

Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 3.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 2.6M games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
2.6M
Best context
51.6% at 0-999 Rapid
Worst context
39.8% at 2000-2199 Classical
Average game length
31 moves
Games that end decisively
96.7%
Draws
3.3%

Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.

Where it holds · Black score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for Black, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 46.8% at 0-999, 36.5% at 2500+.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 25.6% expected score (21 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 48.5% expected score (6,031 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 50.5% expected score (5,057 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 51.6% expected score (1,108 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 51.3% expected score (37 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.4% expected score (21,412 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.5% expected score (23,339 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 47.5% expected score (4,929 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 49.1% expected score (52 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 44.1% expected score (32 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (50,667 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (84,935 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.6% expected score (18,858 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 47.0% expected score (368 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 49.2% expected score (118 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 46.9% expected score (96,392 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (214,044 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.3% expected score (52,938 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 49.7% expected score (2,034 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 43.7% expected score (101 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 46.5% expected score (139,640 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 46.5% expected score (385,312 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 46.8% expected score (106,590 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 47.2% expected score (5,004 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 47.6% expected score (104 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.7% expected score (161,968 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 46.3% expected score (461,032 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 45.6% expected score (121,930 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 44.9% expected score (5,166 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 54.1% expected score (48 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 46.6% expected score (141,616 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 46.0% expected score (263,680 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 44.9% expected score (59,284 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 39.8% expected score (1,725 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 48.2% expected score (53 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.4% expected score (107,804 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 44.6% expected score (60,749 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 40.6% expected score (9,027 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 40.5% expected score (124 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 13.7% expected score (4 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 45.2% expected score (20,412 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 41.8% expected score (1,674 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 38.3% expected score (190 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 43.4% expected score (6 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Sicilian Defense
48.5%
Variations (5)
Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack
47.2%
Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian
48.5%
Sicilian Defense: Closed
49.8%
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation
50.2%
Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack
48.6%
Continuations (10)
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Paulsen Formation
49.6%
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation
48.9%
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Fianchetto Defense
53.1%
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Pin Defense
48.9%
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Kan Formation
49.6%
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Classical Formation
46.0%
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Morphy Defense
51.2%
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Danish Variation
51.3%
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Siberian Variation
50.6%
Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Finegold Defense
52.3%
Analyze Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted scores 46.4% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 46.4% and 46.5% — from 2.6M Lichess games. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

How the figures are made
Whose games these are
2.6M+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
Which games we count
  • Rated games only — nothing casual.
  • Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
  • At least 2 moves played.
  • A game is filed under White’s rating.
Why every number comes with a range
A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
How much we need before we say anything
An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Black wins 44.7%, draws 3.3% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.4%. It rests on 2.6M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 49.6% (12K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 46.4% in Blitz (1.5M games) against 46.1% in Rapid (375K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted?

The Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted has a sharpness score of 96.7 (very decisive), meaning 96.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 48.6%, draws 1.9% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 23 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.9%, draws 2.0% and loses 51.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 50K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 45.9%, draws 2.3% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 155K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.7%, draws 2.6% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 366K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.0%, draws 3.1% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.6%. It rests on 637K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 44.4%, draws 3.5% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.2%. It rests on 750K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 44.0%, draws 3.9% and loses 52.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.0%. It rests on 466K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.4%, draws 4.2% and loses 52.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.5%. It rests on 178K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 41.9%, draws 6.0% and loses 52.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.9%. It rests on 22K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 45.9%, draws 1.3% and loses 52.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.6%. It rests on 518 Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 45.4%, draws 2.5% and loses 52.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 746K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 44.6%, draws 3.5% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.4%. It rests on 1.5M Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 44.0%, draws 4.1% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 375K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 43.2%, draws 5.2% and loses 51.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.8%. It rests on 14K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 44.7% of its games and loses 51.9%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.